The University of California, Riverside (UCR) is proud to announce that Department of History doctoral recipient Marissa Hull has been named a 2026 Leading Edge Fellow by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).

Four students from MCS — Elias Martigon, Gelila Zeray, Meerae Lee, Zihan Zeng — and four from TFDP — Daniella Escobar, Jiahui Liu, Lance Mack, Natalie Guido — were selected from a pool of applicants to attend the Palm Springs ShortFest 2026. The Palm Springs International ShortFest is one of North America’s largest, uniting innovative and entertaining shorts from around the world. The festival ran from June 26-28, during which students had the opportunity to meet with filmmakers, discuss the industry, and watch many films. “They were selected through an application process, based on their

Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Noah Amir Arjomand ‘25 has brought to life a short film that feels both timely and timeless. A dark comedy about theatre faculty sparring over outlandish financial schemes to keep their department afloat under the duress of budget constraints, “THE CUTS” will premiere at the LA Shorts International Film Festival. This Oscar-qualifying showcase for emerging cinematic voices runs July 30 - Aug. 12, 2026; the film has not yet been assigned a screening time. Production began in the spring, when Arjomand joined the team at the request of writer Annika Speer

A new exhibition at a Mississippi arts and cultural center explores the work of UC Riverside professor John Jennings in centering Black characters in graphic novels. “John Jennings: Build Your World,” an immersive display of four of Jennings’ projects, opened June 20 at the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, or the MAX, in Meridian, Mississippi. It will remain on view through spring 2027.